I should probably know better, but every so often I fire up the computer and check out the Nationals-related message boards. I’m painfully aware that most Internet message boards, regardless of the topic, are largely populated by folks who know what they know, so please don’t confuse them with facts or logic. It’s as funny as it is frustrating most of the time, but particularly now, with the ballclub off to such a horrendous start.
It appears that many fans are ready to fire skipper Manny Acta and/or hitting coach Lenny Harris. Most have no replacement(s) in mind, and some admit that both men did terrific jobs last year, but with a lot of fans, it’s a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately world. That so many who have no access to the dugout or clubhouse, or really any kind of entrée to the inner workings of major league baseball believe they know exactly what the problem is; I guess finishing fourth in your fantasy league really counts for something.
A year ago around this time the Nats were leaving Florida 6-13, having just lost 2-of-3. Sound familiar? Their starters at that point — John Patterson, Shawn Hill, Jason Bergmann, Jerome Williams and Matt Chico — were a combined 2-12. Williams was 0-4, Patterson 0-3. The only pitcher with multiple victories on the staff was reliever Jesus Colome with 2. After 19 games in 2007, those five starters had pitched 87-plus innings and allowed 54 earned runs, for an ERA of 5.56. After 19 games this season, Washington starters have given up 60 runs over 106 innings, for an ERA of 5.09. Better by almost a half-run — but take the now-departed Bergmann and his 16 earned runs over 12 innings out of the mix, and the rotation ERA drops to 4.21. Not spectacular and with the Nats averaging just 3.5 runs per game on offense, not nearly good enough to result in more wins than losses.
It’s perfectly plain that the issue is offense. Not hits, no runs, no wins. I’ve been saying for years that a pitcher’s won-lost record means little in the grand scheme of things since he’s got little impact (in the AL he has no impact) on the number of runs his team scores for him. Unless you’re capable of throwing a low-hit, low-run (3 or fewer) game every single time you go out there, you’re getting an L on your record, like it or lump it. That this club should be struggling so mightily with the bat at the moment is frustrating. Are they pressing? Some have claimed they’re not, but the results — and the accompanying swinging at first pitches, lunging at balls out of the strike zone, falling behind in the count so quickly you’re forced to take defensive swings — show otherwise.
There’s nothing magic going on here. Slumps are contagious, and any baseball professional will confirm that. The Nats’ roster is currently infected top-to-bottom. If there was a quick fix available, ownership would surely take that route. Firing anyone to appease a handful of disgruntled web surfers would be a huge mistake.
Hear Phil Wood Saturdays at 10 a.m. on SportsTalk 980 AM and is a contributor to Nats Xtra on MASN. Contact him at [email protected].
